Thursday, September 13, 2007

Dodgers To Celebrate 50 Years in LA LA Land

The Dodgers will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 2008, with a float in the Rose Parade and a star on the HollywoodWalk of Fame.

"Baseball truly became a national pastime when the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles," Jamie McCourt, who owns the team with her husband Frank, said Wednesday. "Many Angelenos fell in love with baseball when they fell in love with the Dodgers."

Each month of next season the Dodgers will highlight a decade of the team's history in Los Angeles. In April, they will mark the 1950s, in May the 1960s, in June the 1970s, in July the 1980s, in August the 1990s and in September, the team will host a reunion of Dodger players.

Beginning Wednesday, fans can vote online for the top 50 moments in Dodgers' history and the all-time Los Angeles team, with results revealed next year.

I'm not sure about the 50 moments (Gibson's dinger would have to be number 1, right?), but here's my stab at an all-time L.A. Dodgers team:

C: Piazza. And it's not even close.

1B: Garvey. Yeah, he's Satan and all, but who was better in L.A. than him?

2B: Lopes. You were expecting Lenny Harris?

3B: Cey. Sensing a pattern? I guess I could break up the 1970s crew and put Guerrero here, but I don't think I could bear to see that defense.

SS: Maury Wills. One of the most overrated players ever, but at least he occasionally posted an OPS+ above league average, which is more than one can say about Bill Russell. Things I didn't know: Pee Wee Reese hung around for on season in Los Angeles. Intellectually I knew that he started in 1940 and lasted for 18 or 19 years, so I probably should have deduced that he made the move out west, but I can't bring myself to picture him in a hat that doesn't have a little B on it.

RF: Reggie Smith. Didn't play in L.A. as long as some other guys, but had some fine years.

CF: Willie Davis. Of course, we're only in year one of the Juan Pierre Epoch, so Davis is probably just keepin' it warm . . .

LF: While he was really only the primary starter in left for one season (1987) I gotta hide Guerrero somewhere. Sorry, Dusty, Kirk, and Tommy.

Ah, the pitchers. This is much easier.

SP: Koufax

SP: DrysdaleSP: SuttonSP: ValenzuelaSP: HershiserCL: Gagne

MGR: Walt Alston. Yeah, Lasorda has a couple of years in L.A. on Alston, and yeah, more people tend to associate L.A. Dodger baseball with Lasorda (Alston first made his bones in Brooklyn) but Alston had the decency to pass away twenty-three years ago. Lasorda is still alive, and if he gets voted on to that all-time team, that's just going to give him an opportunity to spout off about some damn thing or another, and who wants that?

Fun fact: Did you know that, despite winning nine pennants, the Los Angeles Dodgers have only won 100 games twice? I was surprised to see that. In that same 50-year span, the Yankees have won 100 games nine times. The Braves have won that many games six times. The Orioles and A's five times. The Reds, Tigers, Mets and Giants did it three times. Like the Dodgers, the Phillies did it twice, followed by a handful of single-timers. If you had asked me that two hours ago, I would have bet serious money that the Dodgers had done it more than any of those teams except the Yankees and the Braves.

At this point I think it's safe to say that I've gone about as deep into the Dodgers as I care to without the participation of Alyssa Milano, so that, as they say, is that.